Latch for automobile doors



Oct. 14, 1

W. H. DOUGLAS LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 14 INVENTOR Wiiiz'am Hfiazzyla;

W. H. DOUGLAS LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Filed March 14, 1923 2Shana-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 7/5 ZZ Z0771 Jazzy/0.5

Wa /s ATTORNEY Patented Get. 14, 1924..

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. DOUGLAS, OF KEYPORT, NEW JERSEY.

LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS.

Application filed March 14, 1923.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. DoUGLAs, acitizen of the United States; and resident of Keyport, in the county ofMonmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Latches for Automobile Doors, of which the following isa specification.

The invention relates in general to a latch for securing doors, windowsand other 010- sures and specifically relates to a latch for use inconnection with doors which are subject to vibration, such as the doorsof an automotive vehicle. In the present form of latch and lockconstructions the major part is mounted on the door and when the door isof frail construction, such as in certain forms of automobile doors, thelock mountings have a tendency to weaken the door as it is usual tomortise or recess the parts into the door construction and it notinfrequently happens that this must be done at a point where the door isotherwise weakened by the positioning of windows and other structuralparts. On the contrary, the door pillar or other frame part againstwhich the door abuts, is of more substantial construction than the doorand it is thus better capable of providing ample support of the latchparts than is the case with the door.

Accordingly, one of the primaryobjects of this invention is to provide asimple form of latch construction in which the separable parts areapportioned so that practically all of the latch mechanism is carried bythe body pillar, leaving on the doorsubstantially nothing more than isnecessary to pro- ,vide the usual handle on opposite sides of the doortogether with the usual handle. Difficulty has been experienced in themanufacture of high grade automobile bodies to insure a tight, snug fitof the door against the door pillar so as to eliminate rattle. The partsheretofore have had to be constructed either with such looseness of fitthat the parts would catch when the door was carelessly slammed intocloser position, or else, there had to be such a close interfitting ofthe parts that care had to be exercised in order to insure the catchingof the latch parts after the door was slowly and firmly seated in itsclosed position.

Another object of the invention is to pro- Serial No. 624,894.

vide a simplified form of latch construction of the class outlined, theoperative parts of which can be moved promptly into an inoperativeposition so as to permit the opening of the door by the simple turningof the handle on either side of the door.

Another object of the invention, is to provide a cushion between thelatch parts and the containing casing for the purpose of permittingaslight shifting. or freedom of relative movement between the door andthe frame and in this way avoid any rigidity of construction between thedoor and its frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch construction whichwill feature economy in construction, simplicity of parts and readyaccessibility to housed parts for the purpose of repair or substitutionof worn elements.

Various other objects and advantages of the invent on will be in partobvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part willbe more fully set forth in the following particular description of oneform ofmechanism embodying my invention, and the invention also consistsin certain newand novel features of construction and combination ofparts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In' the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the door construction of an automobileshowing a preferred embodiment of the invention positioned thereon.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the keeper shown on the door frame in Figure1 and with the cover plate removed, and showing the co'acting latchshaft in dotted outline.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2and showing in dotted lines the latch shaft in operative engagementtherewith.

Figure at is a view in side elevation of the latch plate shown 'on thedoor in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a-view in left end elevation of the latch plate shown inFigure 4, and

- Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View taken through the latch plateand taken on the line 66 of Figure 4.

In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identifiedby specific names for convenience of expression but they are intendedtobe as generic in their application to similar parts as the art willpermit.

In the drawing there is shown a portion of the side of an automobilewhich includes the side frame 10 containing the 'door open iug 11,outlined on one side by the door pillar 12, against which abuts the door13, secured in closed position to the pillar 12 by means of the latchparticularly constituting the subject matter of this disclosure.

The latch comprises in effect two separable parts, a keeper 14 carriedby the pillar 12 and a latch plate 15 carried by the door 13. r

The latch plate 15 comprises an attachment plate 16 secured by means ofscrews 17 to the edge 18 of the door which engages thev doorpillar.

vA pair of spaced apart journals, 19 and 20, project outwardly from theplate 16, and the usual handle-shaft 21 hereinafter referred to as alatch shaft is rotatably mounted in these hearings.

A shaft extends transversely of the door and in the general direction ofmovement of thedoor in moving to and from its closed position. The shaft21 is provided on its outer end with a handle 22 which projectsoutwardly. of the door and in general resembles conventional forms ofsuch handle construction. The opposite end of the shaft extends inwardlyof the door and is shown in Figure 4 to have a squared portion 23constituting the hub of. the inside handle 24 as shown in Figure 1. Theportion 25 of the shaft 21 positioned between the bearings 19 and 20 isexposed outwardly of the edge 18 and as shown in Figure 6 isnon-circular in cross section. This non-cir cular construction ispreferably formed s'mply by flattened opposite sides of the shaft so astoform a pair of oppositely disposed, flat, relatively low portions 26alternating circumferentially with relatively high rounded portions 27.A spring 28 housed within the bearing 20 acts on the 'shaft 21 tomaintain the same normally in pos'tionwith the high points 27 disposedin a plane parallel to the plane of the a ach-- ing plate 16 forpurposes hereinafter explained.

The bearing 20 constitutes a boss opposite sides 29 of which convergeinwardly towards the inside of the car so as to form a wedgingengagement with the striker plate carried by the door pillar hereinafterdescribed.

It will be seen from this construction that I the entire latch plateexcept for holding screws is positioned exteriorly of the door or atleast flush with the door edge and this construction tends to strengthenthe door rather than weaken it as was true of the prior insetconstructions. Of course it is within the scope of this disclosure toinset the attaching plate 15 where this construction will tend topresent a neater construction and thus to insure a snug setting of thedoor in its door frame.

On the contrary the keeper 14: is designed, particularly where the latchis used in automobile door constructions, to be inset in the door pillaror other similar part of the door frame. The keeper includes a flat baseplate 30, on one side of which is positioned a heavy casting 31constituting a mounting plate. and which mounting plate and associatedparts are secured in position by a cover plate 32 secured in place byscrews 33 at the top and bottom of the keeper which act additionally tosecure the keeper as a whole to the door pillar. The cover plate isprovided with an opening34, and similarly the mounting plate is providedwith an opening 35, both of which extend transversely across the face ofthe keeper as shown more particularly in Figure 2.

The openings are designed coactively to accommodate the bearings 19 and20 together with the non-circular portion 25 of the latch shaft and-forthis purpose one side of the openings 3425 is frusto pyramidal as shownas 36 to accommodate the similarly shaped bearing or boss 20 and theopposite end of the openings 3425 is enlarged as shown at 37 to bearing19.

It is understood from this construction that when the door is closed theparts projecting from the plate 16 are contained within the outlines of.the keeper casing and the cover plate 32 contacts with the front of theplate 15 or the adjacent part of the edge 18 of the door. 1 i

The mounting plate is drilled on opposite sides of the opening 35 toprovide pivot accommodate the holes 38 in which are mounted pivot pinsthe dogs extend towards each other and their '115 ends are off-setslightly towards the inside of the 'car from the line ab connected theircenters of rotation. clutch dogs is maintained in its clutching positionby means of a coil spring 42, arranged so'thateach dog forms a one-wayacting clutching detent for engaging the latch shaft when disposed inoperative engagement therewith as shown in Figure 3. Preferably the endsof each of the dogs fit into shoes 44 which provide an extensive surfaceengagement on the shaft 21.

For the purpose of permitting a slight, cushioned movement between thelatch parts and the casing, a rubber gasket 43, in two parts as shown inFigure 2, is positioned be- Each of the tween the mounting plate and thecover plate, thus preventing any play between these two plates and thisgasket is also positioned between the mounting plate and the cover plateto minimize any tendency of the cover plate to scrape against themounting plate. On the other hand, the door is free to move in its usualweaving action while the vehicle is in motion for the mounting plate ispermitted a limited freedom of movement against the parts of thecushion. The action of the holding screws 33 is to bear on the coverplate. which in turn causes a slight compression of the rubber gasket.Pressure on the gasket is continued until the cover plate contacts withthe dogs so as to maintain the same in firm pressing engagement with themounting plate, and in this way eliminate any tendency of the dogs torattle against either the mounting plate or the cover plate.

In operation it will be understood that the spring 28 acting on thelatch shaft will maintain its non-circular portion-in such position thatthe movement of the rounded face of said portion into engagement withthe dogs will act'thereon to shift the dogs out of their normalposition, extending into the opening as shown in Figure 2 and will causethe dogs to clutch the shaft as shown in Figure 3 and as is well knownone-way slip clutch connections. This clutching action will .positivelyprevent the movement of the shaft in a direction to open the door butwill permit the door to move towards its closing position and in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Figure 2. The doorwill catch simplyprovided that it is ap proximately in closed position. It has been foundthat the jarring of the door incidental to the driving of the vehiclewill cause the door to move aggressively to a fully closed position andwith the boss 20 in wedging engagement with the part of the mountedplate outlining the opening'in the keeper. In this respect the keeperconstitutes in effect a striker plate. The latch shaft is held fromoutward movement by the clutching action of the dogs but issubstantially' unrestrained from any closing movement until the door isfirmly seated in its closed position.

When it is desired to open the door, it is necessary simply to turneither one of the handles and move the door into open position; Theturning of the handle rotates the shaft so as to remove the high pointsof the non-circular portion from engagement with the dogs and to bringthe low points opposite the dogs. The low portions have been soproportioned that they are spaced slightly from the projected dogs, thuspermitting the withdrawal of the shaft axially from its engagement withthe keeper on the opening movement of the door. Releasing tension on theshaft handle permits the spring controlling the latch shaft to rotatethe shaft into its normal position and thus bring the high points intotheir normal operative position ready to be engaged by the dogs on thenext closing movement of the door.

By means of a device of'this character..it is possible to mount asimplified and improved form of door latch on an automobile doorconstruction in those cases where the door element is relatively frailand incapable of supporting'mortised locks and the like. Practically allthe operative parts can be neatly housed within the door frame and maytherefore be made as rugged as the construction requires. Doors of thischaracter must necessarily have a handle construction and the latchherein disclosed simply utilizes the necessary handle shaft as theattaching element required to be carried by the door. With theconstruction herein disclosed, it is simply necessary to slam the doortowards its closed position and the latch, if it catches at all. willpositively and automatically move the door into a securely closedposition.

While I have shown and described. and have pointed out in the annexedclaims, certain novel features of my invention, it will be understoodthat various omissions. substitutions and changes in the form anddetails of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made bvthose skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention.

Having thus described my invention. lf claim:

1. In a device of the class described. the combination of a keepercasing having an opening in one side thereof, a pair of clutch dogspivotally mounted in the casing on opposite sides of the opening andhaving their free ends projecting towards each other and into theopening. and a latch shaft mounted for rotary movement and adapted to bemoved into said opening. said shaft having oppositelv disposed highportions alternating circumferentially with oppositelv disposed lowportions. said low portions being spaced from the dogs in all positionsof the same wherebv the shaft may be rotated into position free of theclutching action of the dogs and said high portions adapted to engagethe dogs to move the same in one direction and into a oneway slip clutchconnection with the shaft to prevent its movement axially in onedirection while permitting its corresponding movement in the oppositedirection.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a keepercomprising a base plate, a mounting plate, a clutch dog pivotallymounted to the mounting plate, a cover plate having an openingtherethrough and means for seouring'the parts of the keeper in place, ofa coacting latch plate comprising a manually actuated latch shaftmounted for rotary movement and having a non-circular part adapted to bemoved through the opening in the cover plate, said part in one rotativeposition thereof operatively engaged by the dog to prevent axialmovementof the shaft in one direction and in another rotative positionof the shaft, said part being clear of the dog to permit bodily movementof the shaft into and from the keeper.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a latch plateprovided with two-spaced apart bearings, a latch shaft journalled insaid bearings, a handle at one end of the shaft, a portion of the shaftbeing exposed between the bearings, said exposed portion beingnon-circular in cross section and clutch means for engaging saidnon-circular part of the latch shaft.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a latch plateincluding an attaching plate, a. bearing projecting from one side of theattaching plate, said bearing having a wedge forming part, a latch shaftjournalled in the wedge forming bearing and means for engaging the shaftand adapted to coact therewith to cause the wedge forming bearing tomove into a wedging position.

5. In an automobile door construction the combination with a door pillarand a door, of a latch for securing the door to the pillar, said latchincluding a single control shaft extending transversely of the door,provided at one end with a handle and jour nalled on the edge of thedoor adjacent the pillar, and all other parts of the latch carried bythe pillar and substantially contained Within the outlines of the pillarwhereby practically all of the latch is sup ported by the pillar andonly the control shaft with its handle carried by the door.

6. In a door construction, the combination with a door pillar and adoor, of a latch for securing the door to the pillar, said latchincluding a single shaft mounted at an edge of the door adjacent thepillar and relatively movable clutch elements carried by the pillarwithin the edge adjacent the door operatively controlled by the shaftand adapted to clutch the shaft automaticallyv when the latter is movedinto operative relation thereto on closing the door.

7. In an automobile door construction, the combination with a doorpillar and a door having an abutting engagement therewith, of a latchfor securing the door in closed position engaging the pillar, said latchincluding separable parts comprising a control shaft together with itsmounting, and clutch elements for engaging the shaft. said latch partsbeing apportioned with its -teriorly of the door and contained withinthe adjacent edge of the pillar when the door is in closed position andsaid latch including a control shaft-carriedby the door and clutchingelements carried by the door pillar for engaging the shaft.

9. In a door latch for automobiles the combination of a keeper adaptedto be mounted on the door pillar, a clutch shaft .adapted to be mountedon the automobile door and extending axially in a general direction ofthe closing movement of the door,

said keeper provided with a one-Way acting clutch dog adapted to engagethe shaft and to act thereon to prevent any opening movement of the doorwhile permitting any possible movement of the door in its closingdirection whereby the jarring incidental to the running of theautomobile will tend to eflect automatically a movement of the door intoits fully closed position.

10. In a door latch for automobiles, the combination of a keeper adaptedto be mounted on the door pillar, a latch plate adapted to be mounted onthe door, a oneway acting slip clutch having one member mounted on thekeeper and acoacting member mounted on the latch plate, said clutchacting to prevent any opening movement of bile.

11. In a door latch, the combination of a keeper constituting a strikerplate and provided with an opening for receiving a latch shaft, amovable detent carried by the keeper, a spring acting on the detent andtending to project the same into the opening and into the path ofmovement of the latch shaft, a latch plate having a latch shaft mountedthereon, said shaft having a portion thereof designed to enter theopening to engage and move the-detent in a direction to shift it againstthe tension of the spring and into'position to cause it to operativelyengage said shaft portion to secure the keeper to the latch plate.

12. In an automobile door construction, the combination with a doorpillar and a door, of a latch connection for insuring the closing of thedoor automatically by the otfier into an inoperative position toperannie jarring of the same from a'loose into amore positive closingposition, said connection including a one-way slip clutch disposednormally to prevent opening movement of the door and to permit anycreeping of the door in its closing direction.

13. In a door latch for automobiles, the combination of a keeperconstituting a striker plate and provided with a wedgeshaped opening, alatch plate having a wedge-shaped boss fitted to the opening when thedoor is fully closed and a one- Way acting clutch connection between thekeeper and latch plate functioning normally to prevent an openingmovement of the door and permitting a closing movement of the door witha resulting wedging of the boss into the opening.

14. In an automobile door construction, the combination of a keeperconstituting a striker plate carried by the door' pillar, a latch platecarried by the door, a one-way clutching connection between the keeperand latch plate normally preventing an opening movement of the doorwhile permitting a closing movement of the door, and said connectionoperatively responsive to the jarring of the automobile to effectantomatically a movement of the door from a partially closed positioninto a more fully closed position.

15. In a door latch for automobiles, the combination of a keeper adaptedto be mounted on the door pillar, a latch plate adapted to be mounted onthe door, a oneway acting slip clutch having one member mounted on. thekeeper and a coacting member mounted on the latch plate, said clutchacting to prevent any opening movement of the door while permitting acreeping of the door from a loose closing position into a more positiveclosing position automatically by the jarring action of the automobile,and manually actuated means for movthe clutch members relative to eachmit an opening movement of the door.

16. In a door latch for automobiles, the combination of a keeperconstituting a striker plate and provided with'a wedgeshaped opening, alatch plate having a Wedge-shaped boss fitted to the opening when thedoor is fully closed, and a oneway acting clutch connection between thekeeper and latch plate functioning normally to prevent an openingmovement of the door and permitting a closing movement of the door witha resulting wedging of the boss into the opening and means for movingthe clutch into an moperative position to permit an opening movement ofthe door.

17. In a door latch, the combination of a keeper constituting a strikerplate and provided with an opening for receiving a latch shaft, amovable detent carried by the keeper, a spring acting on the detent andtending to project the same into the opening and into the path ofmovement of the latch shaft, a latch plate having a latch shaft mountedthereon, said shaft having a portion thereof designed to enter theopening to engage and move the detent in a direction to shift it againstthe tension of the spring and into position to cause it to operativelyengage said shaft portion to secure the keeper to the latch plate, andmeans for rotating the latch shaft out of its operative engagement withthe detent thereby to permit the separation of the keeper and latchplate. i

18. In an automobile door construction the; combination with a door.pillar and a door, of a latch connection for insuring the closing of thedoor automatically by the jarring of the same from a loose into a morepositive closing position, said connection including a oneway slipclutch disposed normally to prevent opening movement of the door and topermit any creeping of the door in its closing direction, and a manuallyactuated control for moving the clutch into an inoperative positionthereby to permit an opening movement of the door.

19.. In a door construction, the combina-' tion of a door pillar and adoor, of a latch including a keeper secured to the door pillar andhaving an opening exposed on the side adjacent the door, a latch platesecured. to the abutting edge of the door, a latch shaft journalled insaid plate extending axially 1n the general direction of the openingmovement of the door and adapted to be moved into said opening when thedoor is closed and a clutching member adapted to engage the containedportion of the shaft to secure the door in closed position.

20. In a device of the class described, the combination of a keepercasing having a shaft opening in one side thereof, a clutch dogpivotally mounted in said casing and having its free end projecting intosaid opening, a latch shaft mounted for rotary movementand adaptedto bemoved into said opening, said shaft when in one of its rotativepositions acting on the dog to displace the same from its normalinoperatlve position and to move the free end of the same into aposition clutching the shaft.

21. In a door latch, the combination of a keeper provided with a clutchdog, a latch plate provided with a latch shaft mounted for rotarymovement, adapted in one position thereof to be moved into engagementwith the dog to shift the same from its normal inoperative position andinto clutching engagement with the shaft.

1 22. In a door latch, the combination of a keeper provided with aclutch dog, a latch plate provided with a latch shaft mounted for rotarymovement, adapted in one pos tion thereof to be moved into engagementwith the dog to shift the same from its normal inoperative position andinto clutching engagement with the shaft, and a spring acting on theshaft to maintain the same in its normal dog shifting position.

23. In a door latch, the combination of a keeper provided with a clutchdog having a normal inoperative position and a shifted operativeposition, a shaft having a portion non-circular in cross-section adaptedto be moved into position clutched by the dog, said shaft rotatable intoposition to bring a low point ofthe non-circular portion opposite thedog and thus permit the shaft to escape from the dog. 1

24. In a door latch, the combination, of a keeper provided with aone-way acting clutch dog, a shaft free tomove axially in one directionand in one rotative position thereof operatively engaged by the dog andrestrained thereby from movement in the opposite direction, said shaftprovided with a depressed portion which, when the shaft is rotated tobring the same opposite the dog, clears the shaft from the clutchingengagement of the dog and thus permits the shaft to be moved in saidopposite direction.

25. In a device of the class described, thecombination of a keepercasing having a shaft opening in one side thereof, a clutch dogpivotally mounted in said casing and having its free end projecting intosaid opening, a latch shaft mounted for rotary movement and adapted tobe moved into said opening, said s aft when in one of its rotativepositions acting. on the dog to displace the same from its normalinoperative position and to move the free end of the same into aposition clutching the shaft and said shaft provided with a handle forrotating the shaft out of operative relation, to the clutch dog and thuspermit the separation of the latch shaft from the keeper casing.

26. In a door construction, the combination of a door pillar and a door,of a latch including .a keeper secured to the door pillar and having anopening exposed on the side adjacent the door, a latch plate secured tothe abutting edge of the door, a latch shaft journalled in said lateextending axially in the general direction of the open- 1 ing movementof the door and adapted to be moved into said, opening when the door isclosed and a clutching member housed within the casing adapted to engagethe contained portion of the shaft to secure the door in closedposition, and a handle on one end of the shaft for rotating the same outof operative engagement with the clutching member and thus permit thedoor to be opened.

27 In a device of the classdescribed, the combination of a base plate, amounting plate on one side thereof, clutch elements carried by-themounting plate, a cover plate for securing the clutch elements andmounting plate to the base plate and a resilient packing between thecover plate and base plate.

28. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base plate,a mounting plate on one side thereof, clutch elements carried by themounting plate, a cover plate for securing the clutch elements andmounting plate to the base plate and a cushioning member disposedbetween the mounting plate and cover plate and between the cover plateand the base plate.

29. In a latch for an automobile door construction, the combination of amecha- .nism containing casing, clutch mechanism contained in saidcaslng, and cushioning means within the casing for preventing the clutchmechanism from rattling while permitting a slight freedom of movementbetween the clutch mechanism and the casing.

Signed at New York in the county of and State of New York'this 1st dayof March, A. D. 1923.

WILLIAM H. DOUGLAS.

